Inclusion of ice cover in a storm surge model for the Beaufort Sea

✍ Scribed by M. B. Danard; M. C. Rasmussen; T. S. Murty; R. F. Henry; Z. Kowalik; S. Venkatesh

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 1989
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 792 KB
• Volume: 2
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0921-030X
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00141389

✦ Synopsis

Storm surges in the Beaufort Sea present a severe problem for navigation as well as for offshore oil drilling activities. Influence of ice cover on storm surges in the Beaufort Sea is examined making use of a numerical model as well as a set of observations.

The automated shallow-water model of Henry has been modified to incorporate ice cover and is adapted to the Beaufort Sea. The leading edge of the permanent ice is calculated from the loci of identifiable points. Generalized similarity theory is employed to compute wind stresses. Simulations are made using model-predicted ice concentrations and observed ice concentrations. Ice motion is relatively small in units of model grid distance (approximately 18 km) during surges. Spherical effects are important and should be included in future adaptations of the model. Comparison of the computed surges with observed surges for eight different events showed reasonable agreement.